NMSDC Holds Conference and Business Opportunity Exchange

MICHIGAN IS HOST CITY FOR ANNUAL GATHERING, OCT. 22-25, 2017; EVENT IS NATION’S LARGEST FORUM IN SUPPORT OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY

The 2017 National Minority Supplier Development Council Conference and Business Opportunity Exchange will be held at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan, Oct. 22-25. This annual event (www.nmsdcconference.com) is the nation’s premier forum on minority supplier development. For four days, more than 6,000 corporate CEOs, procurement executives and supplier diversity professionals from top multinational companies – as well as leading Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business owners and international organizations – will convene to re-energize their collective efforts to develop and advocate for more vigorous participation by minority-owned firms in global corporate supply chains.

The theme of this year’s NMSDC Conference and Business Opportunity Exchange is “Minority Supplier Development: Fueling Economic Growth.” During the event, more than 20 learning sessions and interactive workshops will engage attendees with details of the latest commercial advances, as well as strategies and techniques to prepare for economic developments in the coming years.

Opportunities on Saturday, Oct. 21 include certification preparations, an International Day, committee meetings for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), which offer strategic advice on customer relations, business management, and establishing collaborative relationships with other companies. On Monday, Oct. 23, there is a one-day Business Opportunity Exchange with more than 700 exhibit booths and opportunities for establishing business-to-business ties. Networking scenarios abound with 30 workshops and plenary sessions, as well as NMSDC Matchmakers on Tuesday and Wednesday for corporate members and certified MBEs.

The Conference concludes on October 25, with a black-tie Awards Banquet and Reception honoring: NMSDC Corporation of the Year, Corporate Innovation, Corporate Excellence in Access to Capital, and Supplier of the Year, and Regional Council of the Year.

According to Joe Hinrichs, NMSDC Chair, who also is President, Global Operations at Ford Motor Company, “The 2017 Conference and Business Opportunity Exchange will focus on propelling economic growth for corporate executives and minority business owners to take advantage of opportunities for commerce presented in the future. As the U.S. nears the point where minorities comprise greater than 50 percent of the population, the need for strong minority-owned businesses in national and global supply chains will be vital to the health of our growing economy.”

The economic impact generated by the Conference itself is considerable: $7.5 million total, including an estimate of more than $1 million in state and local taxes and 1,400+ jobs supported. A survey of last year’s Conference attendees show that 73 percent of the more than 6,000 attendees spent more than $1,000 each in the Conference city.

Conference co-chairs are: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, General Motors, Toyota, ACRO Service Corporation, Ampcus and Kyyba. There are more than 60 corporate and MBE sponsors. DiversityComm is the NMSDC’s media partner for the event. For a complete list of companies supporting the Conference, please visit www.nmsdcconference.com and scroll to the bottom.

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About NMSDC

The NMSDC advances business opportunities for certified minority business enterprises (MBEs) and connects them to corporate members. One of the country’s leading corporate membership organizations, NMSDC was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes. The NMSDC Network includes a National Office in New York and 23 affiliate regional councils across the country. The network also includes five international partner organizations located in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, China and South Africa.

To meet the growing need for supplier diversity, NMSDC matches its nearly 12,000 certified minority-owned businesses to our network of more than 1,400 corporate members who wish to purchase their products, services and solutions. NMSDC, a unique and specialized player in the field of minority business enterprise, is proud of its unwavering commitment to advance Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American suppliers in a globalized corporate supply chain. For more information, visit www.NMSDC.org.

About NMSDC

The National Minority Supplier Development Council is the global leader in advancing business opportunities for its certified Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business enterprises and connecting them to member corporations.

NMSDC was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes.